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Obituaries 11/05/10

Barbara Bruce Kent, 80, formerly of Chestnut Hill, an artist and longtime community volunteer who was a recipient of the Chestnut Hill Award, died of complications of Alzheimer’s disease Oct. 21 at Foulkeways in Gwynedd, where she had been a resident for the past four years.

Mrs. Kent received the award in 2002 for her work in producing “5 + Us,” an annual choral concert featuring singers from seventh and eighth grades at five local schools: J.S. Jenks, Our Mother of Consolation, the Stevens School, Chestnut Hill Academy and Springside School. She saw the project as a way of building connections between students at the schools through sharing and song.

A printmaker and painter, she had taught art for 10 years at the former Stevens School and at Germantown Stevens School after Stevens had merged with Germantown Lutheran Academy.

Raised in Mt. Airy, she attended the C.W. Henry School, the Stevens School and Endicott Junior College. She received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a master’s degree in art education from what is now Arcadia University.

A skilled seamstress, Mrs. Kent made one-of-a-kind creations for former Chestnut Hill shops LaPiuma and Quintessence.

She had been a member of the Home and School Association at the J.S. Jenks School and Friends of Pastorius Park, and had served on the steering committee at the Stevens School. She had also served as judge of elections in the Ninth Ward, 10th Division.

Mrs. Kent is survived by her husband of 56 years, Norton; daughters Martha Kent Martin and Stacy Kent Wyckoff, and five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Gwynedd Friends Meeting, Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike in Gwynedd.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, or the Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118. – WF

At the time of his death, Mr. Weber was developing an importing business selling practical Mexican handicrafts to an American audience.

Before starting his own business, he had been a development executive at Yale University focusing on real estate issues of interest to the university.

Earlier he had been senior vice president of Anchor Container Corporation, a corrugated box manufacturing company owned by his family.

Born in Philadelphia, he was a graduate of Germantown Academy. He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a master’s in business administration from Yale’s School of Organization and Management.

He was an avid skier, sailor and dancer.

Mr. Weber is survived by his mother, Peggy Gough Weber, of Chestnut Hill, and a brother, Peter G. Weber, of Washington, D.C.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at Germantown Academy.

John S. Child, 95, a retired insurance executive, died Oct. 27 at his home in Chestnut Hill.

Mr. Child retired as fire insurance manager for the Harleysville Insurance Co. Earlier he had been president of the Frankford Mutual Insurance Co.

He also was an accomplished pianist who had performed at many charity events.

A ninth generation Pennsylvania Quaker, he was a descendant of one of the 13 founding families of Germantown.

He served as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army during World War II in Italy and North Africa.

He was a graduate of the William Penn Charter School and Swarthmore College.

He was a member of the Philadelphia Club, Union League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Sons of the Revolution, Colonial Society, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, Military Order of Foreign Wars, Historical Society of Pennsylvania and Baronial Order of the Magna Carta.

Funeral services will be private. – WF

Edward J. DuBiel

Edward J. DuBiel, of Chestnut Hill and Center City, died last Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania after a short illness.

He was the loving husband of Antoinette DuBiel, hairstylist and long time businesswoman in Chestnut Hill; devoted dad to daughter, Mia DuBiel, and special Pop-E to grandson, Michael Dale Rogers. Also surviving are a brother, two sisters, and many nieces and nephews.

For the last several years Mr. DuBiel has assisted staff of the Academy of Music, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will take place at St. Patrick’s Chapel, 20th and Locust Streets, at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov 10.

Upcoming Events

Community Crime Meeting on April 22 at 7 p.m. Chestnut Hill Library, 8711 Germantown Ave. Come find out what the status of crime is in your neighborhood. Do you have a question or concern about a quality[...]

March 31 at 7:30 p.m. at The Dixon House at St. Paul’s Church, 22 E. Chestnut Hill Ave. Guest speaker Ellen Evans, an eldercare professional with 20 years of experience and a current family member[...]

Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, in the small chapel, 22 E. Chestnuthill Ave. Guided meditation sponsored by the Center for Contemporary Mysticism. Residents are also invited to come to silent meditation at 7[...]

runs from March 2 – June 14 Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St. Framing Fraktur is a three-month celebration of the delightfully detail manuscript art known as fraktur, made by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania[...]